Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

The global agricultural sector faces immense pressure to increase output sustainably while combating labor scarcity and the impacts of climate change. This drives a strong demand for smart farming technologies that can optimize resource use and improve yields. Regulatory pushes for sustainable practices and consumer demand for traceable, high-quality produce further accelerate the adoption of data-driven precision agriculture, making efficient 3D crop monitoring solutions critical for competitive advantage.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Reduces installation and retrieval effort by up to 70% compared to conventional fixed targets.

02

Acquires high-precision crop 3D data using individually identifiable coded targets placed at known intervals.

03

Integrates easily with existing camera and image processing systems, leveraging general photogrammetry techniques.

Market Opportunity
Smart Agriculture Solutions
$750M–$850M globally (AI est.)
The shift towards precision and data-driven agriculture is accelerating, making efficient crop growth data acquisition technology essential for cultivation management systems.
Precision agriculture software providers Agricultural data analytics firms Large-scale farm operators
Crop Breeding Research & Academia
$300M–$350M globally (AI est.)
There is a growing need to accurately quantify crop growth rates and morphological changes in new variety development, and this technology could significantly improve research efficiency.
Agricultural research institutes University plant science departments Seed and agrochemical R&D divisions
Agricultural Machinery & Drone Manufacturers
$13B–$13.5B globally (AI est.)
Integration with autonomous agricultural machinery and drone-based sensing technologies could enable more advanced, automated, and precise agricultural solutions.
Autonomous farm equipment OEMs Agricultural drone manufacturers Integrated farm management system providers
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent protects a target device for 3D crop measurement, including its flexible wire structure with individually identifiable coded targets, and the associated photogrammetry method. The claims cover various aspects from device configuration to measurement methodology, demonstrating a robust and stable scope established through a rigorous examination process against five prior art documents.

Competitive White Space

This patent focuses on the target device and method for 3D photogrammetry of crops. White space exists in advanced AI-driven analytics for disease detection or yield prediction, or integration with autonomous robotics for fully automated deployment and data collection beyond the measurement itself.

Economic Impact
~$200K/year estimated cost savings and 5% yield improvement per facility (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

Implementing this technology could reduce labor hours for crop measurement installation and retrieval by ~70%. For example, if 5 skilled workers' annual 1,000 hours of measurement work are reduced to 300 hours, this translates to an annual labor cost saving of ~$130K (AI est.), assuming a labor cost of ~$35/hour (AI est.). Additionally, precise cultivation management based on high-accuracy 3D data could lead to a 5% yield improvement, generating ~$130K (AI est.) in additional revenue, and a 10% reduction in fertilizer/pesticide costs, saving ~$50K (AI est.). The total estimated economic impact could exceed ~$200K per year (AI est.).

Speed to Market
6× faster than in-house development
This technology is a research outcome from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), with established fundamental principles and device configurations. Its simple design, featuring flexible wires and coded targets, facilitates easy integration with general photogrammetry systems, significantly reducing new development burdens. Combining it with existing image recognition technologies and 3D reconstruction algorithms enables a rapid transition to the commercialization phase, potentially shortening time-to-market by over 2.5 years compared to in-house development.
Competitive Positioning

X: Measurement Accuracy & Efficiency
Y: Installation Flexibility & Versatility

Business Models & Applications
📊 Precision Agriculture Data Platform Integration
A model that integrates crop 3D data acquired by this technology with existing precision agriculture platforms and SaaS, offering it as a data analysis service.
🚜 Integration into Smart Agriculture Equipment
Integrate this target device and measurement method into agricultural robots, autonomous farm vehicles, and drones to provide high-precision growth diagnostic functions.
🔬 Measurement Solutions for Breeding Research
License or provide this technology as a dedicated measurement system for universities and research institutions to accurately record and analyze crop growth processes.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🌳 Forestry & Surveying
3D Growth Monitoring for Forest Resources
This technology could be applied to systems that install flexible wire targets on trees to periodically measure forest growth and trunk shape changes in 3D. This has the potential to contribute to highly accurate forest resource management and CO2 absorption estimation.
🏗️ Construction & Infrastructure
High-Precision Structural Displacement Monitoring
Wire targets could be installed on structures like bridges, tunnels, and buildings to detect minute deformations and cracks due to aging through 3D photogrammetry. This could improve inspection efficiency and enhance safety for critical infrastructure, potentially reducing inspection costs by 20%.
🔬 Research & Development
Non-Contact 3D Scanning for Biological & Industrial Products
Applicable to measuring biological tissue deformation in the medical field or detecting subtle shape changes during quality inspection of industrial products. This non-contact, high-precision 3D scanning technology could accelerate R&D cycles by 15% across various sectors.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 15-Month Deployment
Phase 1: Technical Suitability Verification & Design
Duration: 3 months
Verify suitability for the licensee's specific crops, field environment, and existing systems, then establish the basic design for optimal target device installation and measurement protocols.
Phase 2: Prototype Development & Field Testing
Duration: 6 months
Develop a wire target prototype based on the design and conduct field validation tests at the licensee's site. Evaluate measurement data accuracy, system stability, and implement improvements.
Phase 3: Full-Scale Deployment & Operation Optimization
Duration: 6 months
Proceed with the final system deployment, incorporating validation results, and provide operational manuals and on-site staff training. Optimize operations through continuous data analysis to maximize effectiveness.
Technical Feasibility
This technology's wire target device, composed of flexible elongated members and individually identifiable coded targets, is easy to install in existing field environments and cultivation facilities. Based on versatile photogrammetry, it offers high compatibility with digital cameras and image processing software already owned by adopting companies. The patent claims describe adjustable wire lengths and target intervals, providing technical flexibility to adapt to various crops and field sizes.
Success Scenario
Adopting this technology could enable companies to monitor crop growth in greater detail and continuously. For instance, integrating with AI could automatically recommend optimal watering and fertilization timings based on crop volume changes, potentially reducing annual fertilizer costs by an estimated 10%. Furthermore, automatically detecting early signs of disease from 3D data and implementing prompt countermeasures could suppress harvest losses by up to 5%.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2020-037657
REGISTRATION NO.
7409647
FILING DATE
2020/03/05
GRANT DATE
2023/12/25
EXPIRATION DATE
2040/03/05
PATENT HOLDER
国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構
Examination History
2023年02月15日
出願審査請求書
2023年09月20日
拒絶理由通知書
2023年11月13日
意見書
2023年11月13日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2023年11月27日
特許査定